aggravated
Americanadjective
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I get so aggravated when I get this much junk mail.
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made worse or more severe; intensified.
Stress impedes the emptying of the stomach, which can lead to aggravated heartburn.
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Law. characterized by some feature defined by law that enhances the crime, as the intention of the criminal or the special vulnerability of the victim.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- unaggravated adjective
Etymology
Origin of aggravated
Explanation
When you see the word aggravated in the description of a crime, it's a more serious crime. Aggravated assault is more than a punch in the nose — it’s assault with the intent of causing serious bodily harm. Aggravated is built on the Latin root gravis "heavy," as in gravity, and with the prefix ad-, it means "to make heavy." So robbery is one thing, but aggravated robbery is not only robbing someone, but also causing physical harm, and the punishment would be harsher than for simple robbery. The word is used more casually to mean "angered" — you're likely to be an aggravated customer if you’ve been waiting in line forever and someone cuts in front of you.
Vocabulary lists containing aggravated
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 6
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
AllHere founder and former Chief Executive Joanna Smith-Griffin was arrested in November 2024 and charged with securities fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 10, 2026
It’s all a welcome respite from the looming gloom of MLB labor negotiations, in which owners, aggravated by mega spenders like the Dodgers, are expected to press hard for a salary cap.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026
The charges are dereliction of duty and aggravated negligent destruction.
From Barron's • Mar. 3, 2026
It also said the incident was not being treated as religiously or racially aggravated.
From BBC • Feb. 21, 2026
I believe that it was too strenuous a marathon of long speeches that Mr. Muhammad made at our big rallies which, abruptly, badly aggravated his long-bothersome bronchial asthmatic condition.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
